Microsoft Surface, Google Nexus Drive Little Traffic

The Microsoft Surface, which has been available for just over a month, has so far had little impact on the Web. New data from Chikita Insights shows that it accounted for just 0.13% of all tablet Web traffic for a six-day period in mid-November.

Chitika Insights sampled tens of millions of tablet impressions on its U.S. and Canadian ad network between November 12 and November 18th. At just over one-tenth of 1%, Chikita's data suggests sales of the Surface may not be as strong as Microsoft hoped.

The Surface, which runs Windows RT, went on sale October 26. It can be purchased directly from Microsoft's website or at a Microsoft store. The 32GB model costs $499.

Meanwhile, Google's Nexus-branded tablets are doing much better -- at least compared to the Surface. The Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 combined accounted for 0.91% of all tablet Web traffic -- which means Google's top-shelf Android tablets together still didn't break 1% of all tablet Web traffic.

[ For more on the marketplace success of Microsoft's new tablet, see For Microsoft Surface, Modest Sales Are Good Enough. ]

Even so, the Nexus tablets managed to scrape together seven times more traffic that the Surface did. It's worth noting that the Nexus 7 has been available since July -- much longer than the Surface. The Nexus 10 went on sale in the middle of November, so the Nexus 7 likely accounted for the lion's share (such as it is) of that 0.91% figure.

Comparing the Nexus tablets' combined 0.91% Web traffic share to the iPad's traffic tells a different story. The iPad, which kick-started the tablet craze nearly three years ago and continues to be the best-selling tablet, accounts for about 88% of all tablet Web traffic. No other device or platform comes even close to matching the iPad's share.

The remaining 11% of tablet Web traffic belongs to a smattering of devices, such as the Amazon Kindle Fire, Barnes & Noble Nook, RIM PlayBook, and various non-Nexus branded Android tablets.

The 2012 holiday season is sure to be a big one for tablets, as the availability of high-quality inexpensive tablets has never been better. The Nexus 7, which just got a small spec boost, sells for just $199. The iPad Mini, which went on sale in early November, sells for $329. At $500, the Surface will have a hard time competing with entry-level tablets, much less the full-sized iPad.

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